Poisoned Tricks and Treats
by Angelic Temptress
Summary: Batgirl must team up with The Flash to take down Poison Ivy, but that doesn't mean that they'll get along.


Poisoned Tricks and Treats  
  
By: Jade O'Neal angelictemptress@msn.com Disclaimer: Don't own them. Don't sue me. Spoilers: None Pairing: Flash and Batgirl Rating: PG-13  
  
~  
  
The Flash stared at the gun, which was aimed at his head, and didn't hesitate to separate the barrel from the rest. The punk's jaw dropped, and Flash smiled. Next, he quickly tied the mugger to a telephone poll with a piece of rope from some guy's GMC truck.  
  
"Next time you decided to steal from someone, don't," Flash suggested. Once the cops showed, The Flash left.  
  
It had been days since he'd talked to any members of the Justice League; things had been pretty quiet lately. Flash was spending a lot of time in his hometown, Central City. There hadn't been much crime lately, but he'd get lucky here and there. People got into trouble, and he saved them.  
  
The peace was understandable. Halloween was this week. Nothing would happen on Halloween.  
  
Nothing ever did.  
  
The screaming children wouldn't be running around and collecting candy until Friday night; it was only Tuesday afternoon.  
  
Flash entered his apartment and took off his suit. He was starving.  
  
Wearing only his boxers, he cooked three omelets in minutes. Wally always ate like a cow, though. He couldn't help it. His metabolism acted just as fast as he did.  
  
Wally West checked his messages after quickly washing the dishes. There weren't any.  
  
Suddenly, his com-link went off. "Yo?" He was surprised and excited when he heard Batman's voice. That meant the League needed him.  
  
"Flash, there's a dilemma. Batgirl is headed down to Central City."  
  
Wally chuckled. "Really? Or are you just pulling my leg?"  
  
"Be serious," he ordered with his stern voice. "She's tracked Poison Ivy to your town and would like to have your cooperation."  
  
"I'd be more than happy to lend a hand. Maybe even two."  
  
He heard Batman growl with frustration. "She needs to meet you at eleven."  
  
"On the roof of the orphanage. I'll see her there."  
  
"Batman out."  
  
Wally slightly grinned. It wasn't everyday that a sexy superhero came to his city. He usually had to go to Metropolis or Gotham.  
  
But not today.  
  
He had never met Batgirl nor knew anything about her. Wally was thrilled and couldn't wait to meet her.  
  
~  
  
Batgirl checked her miniature batclock for the time. The Flash was ten minutes late. Already she was annoyed, and she hadn't even met him. (Some speed demon. He probably isn't in a hurry.)  
  
A streak of red passed Batgirl, and she felt a breeze. The famous Flash had finally arrived... and it was about time.  
  
"Well, hello. I'm –"  
  
"Unbelievably late," she smartly finished for him.  
  
"Only by ten minutes," he defended. "Sorry. Don't get your panties in a twist."  
  
"Excuse me? Don't be so sure of yourself." She adjusted her utility belt and crossed her arms over chest. "Anyway, I'm only here because both Batman and Nightwing claim to be busy."  
  
"Right." A smirk appeared on his lips.  
  
She narrowed her eyes. "Now to business. Poison Ivy is definitely in town, but we don't know why or where." When he gave a confused look, she explained, "She's dangerous, and she'll kill a lot of people. That's why we need your help... Why I need your help."  
  
To her surprise, The Flash's expression changed. He was taking everything seriously. Maybe he wasn't as immature as she had thought.  
  
"Where are you staying?" he asked carefully. "I have an extra pull-out in my –"  
  
"I'm staying in a hotel." She then smiled. "My arrangements are perfectly fine the way they are, but thanks nonetheless."  
  
"So, where do we start to search for this Ivy?"  
  
~  
  
In a small, suburban house just outside the city, Poison Ivy hid. She had a plan and wanted nothing but money to stop her. She was willing to go as far as possible to get want she "deserved."  
  
The home didn't look like a house anymore; it was a jungle full of bright flowers, exotic plants, and large vines. It was hot, but it was perfect.  
  
The redhead walked into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed. The homeowner, whose name Ivy didn't care to know, was restrained by the vines Ivy controlled. The blonde's wrists were bound to the headboard, but her eyes stayed on her captor.  
  
"There's no way around all this. I'm going to get my money, and there is no one to stop me."  
  
The captive shook her head. "What about The Flash? He could take you out. He'd never allow you to hurt the children."  
  
Ivy laughed. "Oh, I'm not afraid. He is a child as well. How can he prevent something that he can't see coming?"  
  
"You won't get away with this," the woman warned.  
  
"Boring." Poison Ivy slightly waved her hand, and another vine came from behind the headboard to wrap around the prisoner's mouth. "I swear, all hostages are exactly alike nowadays. None of you have original lines to say anymore." The villain chuckled and crossed her legs.  
  
"You know, I almost killed Batman and Robin once a couple of years ago, and that's pretty good. Don't be too astonished when I do pull this off."  
  
~  
  
"What do you think she's doing?" The Flash asked the redheaded hereon. From his seat on the ledge of a building, he watched her pace.  
  
After searching the city for anything unusual, which had taken a good amount of spare time, the unfriendly allies had decided to stay put. They were both incredibly tired.  
  
"Honestly? I have no idea," Batgirl admitted and sat down beside him. "Ivy is capable of causing major damage. She has power over anything organic, and she's a specialist when it comes to poisons."  
  
He nodded. "I believe it."  
  
"This is your city. What do you suggest we do?" she asked.  
  
"You go to your hotel room and rest. I'll do another quick search of the city, and, tomorrow, we could do some research. Maybe this Ivy left a trail."  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Research?"  
  
He gave her a slanted smile. "Well, since you work with the Bat, I figured you knew computers."  
  
"Good guess. Where do you expect to meet?"  
  
"My place." He quickly wrote his address on a piece of paper. "If you want to keep your identity a secret, just come in the back way."  
  
"What about you?"  
  
He confessed, "I trust Bats, and he obviously trusts you. But don't think you're gonna get a free show, babe." He flashed a brilliant smile and watched as her blue eyes narrowed.  
  
"Right." Batgirl stood again and pulled out a grapple gun to latch onto the next building. The Flash just watched her swing away.  
  
He liked her. She was a total cross between Batman and Hawkgirl, hence the name Batgirl. He just hoped he had a chance with a bombshell like that.  
  
~  
  
Batgirl climbed down the fire escape and slid into her hotel room through the open window. Instantly, she yawned and pulled off her mask. After making her way to her bed, she stripped down and put on a Gotham State University tee.  
  
Barbara was worn-out and decided that she should go straight to sleep. The late hours were getting to her, and she needed to catch as much shut-eye as possible. Babs lied down and closed her tired eyes.  
  
Not a second had passed when the phone rang.  
  
She groaned and lifted the receiver. "Hello?"  
  
"It's me," Bruce's voice said. "Any developments?"  
  
"Yeah. I was about to get some sleep."  
  
He didn't give a sign of sympathy. "Did you find her?"  
  
"No. Flash is going to make another sweep."  
  
"Sweeps aren't going to track down Ivy, Barbara. You need to –"  
  
"I know. I know," she interrupted. "I'll go back out tomorrow. Maybe check out some of the latest robberies."  
  
"Fine. Keep in touch."  
  
"Goodnight, Bruce."  
  
With a click, he was gone, and she could drift off to sleep. Her dream world didn't come easily, though.  
  
She was thinking about a particular superhero that wore a red suit, but she didn't know why.  
  
~  
  
Flash sped into the pizza parlor and hopped into his usual seat. It was lunchtime, and he needed food like a fish needed water.  
  
"An extra-large pizza with everything on it, and a large Pepsi," he ordered.  
  
The redhead sitting in the seat besides him laughed. He wouldn't miss an opportunity like that.  
  
"Hey. You new in town?"  
  
"I'm visiting. How'd you know?"  
  
He shrugged. "I'm observant. If I had seen you before, I wouldn't have forgotten a beautiful face like yours."  
  
Her smirk grew a little, and she sipped her bottled water. She was very attractive possessing fiery locks, gorgeous lips, and baby blue eyes. The girl wore a simple black turtleneck with a gray skirt.  
  
"You visiting family?"  
  
She shook her head. "No. I'm actually here on business."  
  
"Business? That can't be much fun."  
  
"It has its bright spots."  
  
"Speaking of bright spots, what did you say your name was?" He grinned when she wrinkled her forehead in response to the abrupt change in subject.  
  
"It was nice meeting you, Flash." She pulled out her wallet to pay for her slice of pizza and water, but he quickly put down money to pay her due.  
  
"I got it," he assured and gave a charming smile.  
  
"Big spender, huh? A whole five dollars." The girl stood and put on her coat. "Bye."  
  
"Goodbye, Beautiful."  
  
~  
  
"So, you're from the Gotham Police Department?" the sergeant asked and sipped his coffee. "What brings you to Central City?"  
  
"I've been tracking Poison Ivy for the last couple of weeks, and I have reason to believe that she's in your town," Barbara explicated. "I just need a few robbery reports. Anything that deals with greenhouses and organic poisons."  
  
"Do you have permission from the GCPD?"  
  
"Not exactly."  
  
The man shook his head. "Then there's nothing I can do for you." The sergeant thought for a moment and asked, "What did you say your name was?"  
  
"Barbara Gordon."  
  
"Jim's daughter?"  
  
"The one and only."  
  
"Oh...well, in that case..." He handed her a file form the pile of folders on his desk.  
  
"Thank you, Sir."  
  
~  
  
"What do you mean you're not coming over?" Wally asked over the phone.  
  
"I've got plans and a whole lot of researching to do," Batgirl answered. "I'll meet with you later."  
  
"Fine, but you're missing out on hotdogs."  
  
She groaned. "I'll just have to live with the fact that I turned down your offer."  
  
"You know, you could loosen up a bit. Bats isn't here to watch you." Wally could tell that the girl was uptight and little tense.  
  
Batman did have that effect on people.  
  
She was silent, and he knew he had nailed the bull's-eye.  
  
"You still there?"  
  
"I'll contact you later." With that, she hung up.  
  
The redheaded speedster could only grin. Wally had gotten under her skin and had read her. All he needed to do now was ask her out for an iced mocha. Maybe they'd even go without their costumes. He could only hope.  
  
~  
  
She began to chew some more of her bourbon chicken and put her chopsticks down. Her hair had been pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore her sweats.  
  
Barbara had been searching on her laptop while reading the report she had gotten from the police and eating her dinner all at the same time.  
  
"It seems as if Miss Ivy has stopped by," she said to herself and picked up her communicator.  
  
"Yeah?" Batman's voice answered.  
  
"I'm sending you a list of chemicals and plants that had been 'misplaced' within the last two or three weeks. See if there are any poisonous combinations."  
  
"I'll email you any results."  
  
"Thanks." Babs put down the communicator and bit her lower lip. "What are you up to Ivy?"  
  
~  
  
Poison Ivy poured a few more drops of the purple liquid into her mixture and watched it start to bubble. She laughed and dropped a crushed oleander leaf into the pot as well.  
  
"Hmm... I still have a few more goodies to get for my lovely treats," she remarked and stood from her seat. As she pulled her red hair into a neat bun, she said, "I suppose Pamela should take care of this job." Ivy then slipped on a skirt, a white lab coat, and a pair of thick-rimmed glasses.  
  
The criminal then grabbed the hostage's keys from the kitchen table and walked out of the house. She got into the car and started the engine.  
  
"So many children to poison, so little time."  
  
~  
  
"Hey GL," Flash greeted and sat down in their usual booth. Lantern and Flash always tried to find time to have dinner together at least once a week.  
  
"Hey, Hotshot. Why so down?" John asked and swallowed a fry.  
  
"Oh, I'm in love." Flash sighed and propped his head on his hand.  
  
"With who this time?"  
  
Noticing the amusement in his co-worker's voice, Flash wrinkled his forehead. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Nothing at all."  
  
Flash decided to pay no attention to the comment. "This girl is incredibly beautiful and intelligent," he admitted. "There's just something about a redheaded superhero."  
  
John's radiant green eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I don't know what her face looks like because of her mask, but the body makes up for that. You should she her when she's in the air."  
  
"You're infatuated with Hawkgirl?" GL questioned in a nearly angry, jealous tone.  
  
"NO, Johnny! Jeez. What do you take me for?" As Lantern's red face slowly reached its natural, dark color, Flash chuckled. "Why? Is there something I should know about Hawkgirl?"  
  
"No. I just didn't want you to get beat on."  
  
"Ri-i-ight," Flash said with his best Dr. Evil impression.  
  
"Why do I hang out with you?"  
  
"Because your life would be empty without me," Flash replied with a smirk. "Duh."  
  
"I highly doubt that." He sipped his soft drink and then stated, "You didn't tell me who your victim, I mean interest, was."  
  
"Ha ha. The straight man has become the comic." Flash then looked down at Lantern's fries. "You gonna finish those?" Before he could answer, Flash ate the food.  
  
"Are you going to tell me or what? I've got to leave soon; I've got monitor duty tonight."  
  
"Is Hawkgirl working the graveyard shift too?" Flash asked playfully but received a glare. "Just joshing. Anyway, Batgirl is in town."  
  
"Batgirl? You mean Batman's..."  
  
"Yup. She followed that Poison Ivy chick here and asked me for help." Flash then chugged the rest of John's Sprite.  
  
"She asked YOU for help? Maybe I should stick around for a while, just in case."  
  
"Nah. We've got it covered."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Sure I'm sure. We work well together."  
  
"I'll believe it when I see it." GL stood from his seat. "Flash, do me a favor."  
  
"Name it."  
  
"Don't do anything stupid. That's Batman's partner you're dealing with." John stressed, "You know how he is sometimes."  
  
"You think he's overprotective when it comes to his crew," Flash concluded.  
  
Green Lantern shrugged. "I'm just making an observation."  
  
"See ya later."  
  
~  
  
"Doctor Isley, this is the lab," Dr. Dolby said as he led Poison Ivy inside. "You will see that you're joining an extraordinary group of scientists, some of which have transferred here from Star Labs and Wayne Enterprises."  
  
"That's nice, but I'd like to learn a little more about you, Dr. Dolby." Ivy touched the little man's shoulder and whirled him around to face her.  
  
"Me? Dr. Isley, you're not being very professional."  
  
"Call me Pamela. If we're going to work together, maybe we should be on a first name basis."  
  
"But –"  
  
"Shh..." She placed a finger on his mouth and then pressed her venomous lips to his. "Time to sleep."  
  
Almost instantly, the doctor's eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell over. He'd be out for a good couple of hours and dead in a day if he didn't get any medical attention. Ivy had all the time in the world to gather what items she needed.  
  
~  
  
Batgirl lowered her binoculars when she heard Flash enter the alley. She then handed him the binoculars.  
  
"What happened?" he asked as he scanned the crime scene.  
  
"A few bottles of chemicals were stolen, and a scientist was poisoned through the mouth," she answered. "Doctor Pamela Isley was the woman who poisoned him."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Batgirl rolled her eyes. "Ivy."  
  
"Oh...Oh! She was actually here?" Flash scratched the back of his head as he thought out loud, "Maybe we should get a list of what was stolen."  
  
"Already did," Batgirl confirmed. "I emailed the list to Batman, so he could analyze it."  
  
"And do what?"  
  
"And find an antidote," she answered sharply. "Don't you get it? She's going to –"  
  
"Poison people," he finished for her. "I get it, Batgirl. Calm down. You don't have to get all annul about it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Please. You came here prepared to scream at someone who you were told was pretty much dumber than you," he accused and tossed her the binoculars. "And you know what? I know that I'm no genius, but that's why you're here. You're supposed to handle the analyzing, and I'd manage the faster areas of the case. So, stop acting like a frigid bitch."  
  
Batgirl didn't know what to think or how to react. He was correct. She had come to Central City ready to deal with an unbelievably immature rookie who wouldn't take the problem seriously.  
  
It was then that she realized that she had turned into one of the men she admired most...  
  
"I'm gonna go scope out the town," he stated.  
  
"Flash –"  
  
"Don't. Just stay here and defrost or something." The young hero sped away, leaving only a trail of dust and a surprised Batgirl behind.  
  
After making a sweep of the town, she headed back to her hotel. When she changed and crawled into the large, comfortable bed, Barbara picked up the phone and dialed the Kents' number.  
  
"Hi. Is Kara there?" she asked once someone answered the phone. A few moments later, Kara came on the line.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"It's Barbara. I hope I'm not calling too late."  
  
"No way. I just came in. There was an explosion is a small business district down in Metropolis. Superman was tied up in Fiji, so I took care of it."  
  
"Was anyone hurt?"  
  
"No," she said and slightly yawned. "So what's up, Babsy? Dick giving you trouble again?"  
  
"Actually, I'm not even in Gotham. I tracked Poison Ivy to Central City."  
  
"Isn't that where The Flash lives?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"No reason. I just think he's adorable. Have you bumped into him yet?"  
  
"Several times. We're working together."  
  
"How fun! What's he like?"  
  
Barbara changed the subject. "Kara, am I a frigid bitch?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Not joking here. Am I?"  
  
"No! You are one of the most caring and most compassionate people I know. Babs, who said that?"  
  
"No one. Just that idiot who runs around with the lightening bolt on his chest."  
  
"The Flash called you that? What a –"  
  
The redhead interrupted. "But he had every reason to. I guess I was pretty rude to the guy... Okay. Really rude. He was just aggravating me."  
  
"Uh-oh."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You like him," Kara concluded and laughed.  
  
"Are you kidding?"  
  
"Nope. In fact, it makes sense when you think about it. He's immature and totally different than Dick had been, and that's what you're attracted to right now. You need somebody who isn't so uncompromising all the time."  
  
"Someone like Flash?"  
  
"Possibly."  
  
Barbara sighed loudly and ran a hand through her red hair. Kara was wrong about this; she had to be.  
  
"Listen, maybe you can't tolerate people who are the complete opposite of Nightwing and Batman. I mean, those are the only people you see EVERY single day," Kara explained. "Right?"  
  
"I don't know. I've got to go. I'll call you when I get back to Gotham. We should get together."  
  
"Sure, Babs. Goodnight."  
  
"Bye."  
  
~  
  
Wally quickly dried himself off and put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He was tired and still very angry at Batgirl. Because of her, he hadn't gotten any sleep last night.  
  
Not that he slept enough anyway, but that was beside the point.  
  
She had really hurt his feelings.  
  
His cell phone rang, so he picked it up.  
  
"Talk to me."  
  
No one replied, so he hung up.  
  
"Stupid phone companies..."  
  
~  
  
"Talk to me."  
  
Barbara hung up on Wally West. She didn't know what to say to him. She didn't even know why she had spent half the night figuring out his identity and tracking down his cell phone number. All she knew was that she was confused.  
  
Her phone rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"It's me," Bruce's voice said. "I've been looking at what you've sent me, and I know what she's planning."  
  
"Hit me."  
  
"The mixture of agents from the flowers combined with the chemicals will paralyze anyone who either injects it or swallows it. I'm still working on an antidote, but I do know that Ivy's not done shopping."  
  
"Hasn't she gotten all the ingredients?"  
  
"No. She needs the petals of a specific flower. It's rare, but is un—"  
  
~  
  
"–Fortunately located here in Central City," Poison Ivy told the beautiful plants that had grown around her. "Don't you love how these warm-blooded mammals think it is fair to trap your cousins in cages at the zoo's greenhouse exhibit? I don't."  
  
The redheaded criminal was soaking in a tub that no longer looked like a bathtub. Instead of a bathroom, she sat in a jungle with a pond that would always be at the right temperature.  
  
"Hand me a towel," she requested and a large, dark green vine brought it closer to her. She stood and wrapped her slender body in it.  
  
Ivy quickly dressed and ate a vegetarian dinner before she left the home. With the owner helpless, Ivy didn't care what she did to the house. It looked better now than it had a couple of days ago.  
  
That was for sure.  
  
On her way to the zoo, she noticed how small the city was compared to either Gotham or Metropolis. She had occupied both before and figured she'd be back soon enough.  
  
Only she'd be richer.  
  
Much richer.  
  
Poison Ivy made her way to the front gate of the zoo, where a security guard stood. She climbed out of the car and walked up to him.  
  
"Can I help you, Miss?"  
  
"Yes. I was wondering if you'd like to die." Ivy pulled out a compact that was filled with a toxic powder and blew some of the contents in the older man's direction. When he inhaled, he fell over.  
  
"Thanks," she said and grabbed his keys. "You were a great help."  
  
She walked into the exhibit without problems because she had access to the surveillance room. With the cameras and the alarms offline, Ivy could steadily make her way to the greenhouse where all the beautiful flowers were held captive.  
  
Ivy opened the door to find a young man who wore a red suit smiling back at her.  
  
"Let me guess. You're The Flash."  
  
"Good job. My turn. You must be Poison Ivy." He laughed and said, "You are so busted."  
  
"Busted? I don't see the handcuffs on my wrists, little one."  
  
"Not yet, anyways." In the blink of an eye, Flash was in front of her, holding her arms. She looked down and saw the pair of handcuffs he had placed on her, noticing that that they weren't normal. They were shaped much differently.  
  
"Where is he?" she asked with a chuckle. "Lurking in the shadows?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Batman. These are his cuffs, aren't they?"  
  
"Oh, I see you've had experience." Flash tugged on her wrists and headed for the door. "I'm taking you to the police."  
  
"Not today, junior." Ivy pulled away from his grasp just as a vine from one of the exotic plants came down and took hold of Flash. She grabbed the keys from his hand and undid her cuffs.  
  
"Maybe you'd like to give me a kiss," she snickered.  
  
Suddenly, a baterang flew through the air and slashed the vine, which held Flash, in half. Ivy's jaw dropped, and she turned to face him... or her.  
  
Batgirl stepped out of the darkness with a smirk on her face. "Hey Ivy. Long time no see. You didn't really think that I'd allow you to come here all by your lonesome, did you? Especially when your partner is behind bars."  
  
The convict narrowed her deep green eyes in response to the remark. She knew that it was Batgirl who had arrested Harley Quinn back in Gotham. Ivy would make sure that it would be Batgirl's body sent home in a black bag.  
  
"You ready to go?"  
  
"No. Not quite yet." Ivy Pulled out a handful of seeds and threw them on the ground. Immediately, they released a strong pollutant that instantly filled the room and brought the coughing heroes to their knees. She laughed and grabbed the flower she had come for.  
  
~  
  
Flash could feel his lungs burning and tired to swallow, but his mouth was dry. He looked up at Batgirl and saw her on the greenhouse floor, coughing as well. Somehow, he knew the gas would kill them if he didn't get rid of it.  
  
The Justice League member steadied himself on his knees and began to rapidly move his arms in a circular motion before him. He could create a wind to suck out all the yellow poison from the room and toss it outside and into the fresh air. It worked. Within minutes, the place was clear of the gas, and Flash helped the Gothamite to her feet.  
  
"Let's get out of here," he suggested and threw one of her arms over his shoulder to support her. He walked her to her batcycle and propped her up against it.  
  
She opened a compartment on the side of the cycle and pulled out an oxygen mask. Batgirl offered it to Flash but put it over her mouth when he declined. He figured that she needed it because she had inhaled more of the toxin that he had.  
  
"You should have gone after her," she stated softly.  
  
"You needed help."  
  
"She needed to be stopped." The girl paused and then added, "Thank you."  
  
He smiled. "You're welcome."  
  
She tried to stand on her own but nearly fell; he had to catch her.  
  
"Whoa. Be careful. I don't think you should be driving anywhere." He lifted her, placed her on the cycle, and sat down also. "Hold on."  
  
Flash started the cycle and took the back alleys to his place. He parked the batcycle in the brush, keeping it out of sight, and carried Batgirl inside.  
  
The redhead had nearly fallen asleep in his arms, so he carried her to his bed and placed her in it. After covering her with the sheets, Flash left his bedroom and walked to the kitchen for a snack.  
  
~  
  
Batgirl opened her eyes and sat up in the unfamiliar bed. She couldn't think of where she could be. After realizing that she was still wearing her batsuit, she glanced at the clock by the bed and noted that it was two o'clock in the morning.  
  
She swung her feet over the edge of the bed and started to remember what had happened earlier that night. Ivy had gotten away and had left The Flash and Batgirl struggling for air in that greenhouse.  
  
Flash.  
  
He had taken her to his place because she was too groggy to drive. Flash must've given up his bed for her.  
  
(Mystery solved.)  
  
She got out of the bed and tried to find Flash. The light shed from the TV in the next room helped her see in the dark. To her surprise, Flash was watching the television.  
  
"Flash?"  
  
He muted the sound and looked at her. "Couldn't sleep? Me either. I bet that gas had just gotten out of our systems. I woke up twenty minutes ago."  
  
"I just woke up."  
  
"Well, you missed Conan. Other than that, there's nothing on." Flash shut off the television and stood. "Can I get you something?"  
  
Batgirl shook her head. "No." She then bit her lower lip and looked to the floor. "Thanks for saving my life."  
  
"No prob, Little Bat. It's what I do, you know."  
  
"Listen, I'm really sorry about how I've been treating you. Honestly, I'm not like that. It's just... I was told to keep you in line, so neither of us would be killed."  
  
He nodded, "I get it. You don't have to apologize."  
  
"But I do. You don't understand. You're the only person I have ever been so bitchy to."  
  
Flash shrugged. "It's cool."  
  
"I know how it feels when others treat you like a child. Both Batman and Nightwing acted like I was too young for a long while."  
  
An uneasy silence took over, making them both shift their stances. When he decided to leave that room for the kitchen, she followed.  
  
"You thirsty?" he asked her.  
  
"I'll have water."  
  
Flash quickly got her a bottle of water and grabbed himself a soda from his fridge. He put them both down on the table and gave a slight smile.  
  
Neither of them had realized that it was still dark in his place. They hadn't felt the need to turn on the lights.  
  
"You can stay here for the rest of the night," he told. "If you get cold, I could join you in the bed."  
  
She couldn't help but laugh. "You know, you're cute."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. In a perverted, adolescent way."  
  
"Any and all compliments are welcome," Flash stated and smiled again.  
  
Batgirl chuckled some more, and so did he. They both took a seat at the table and sipped their drinks. She figured that neither of them knew exactly what to say.  
  
"Was it Batman who said to be strict?" he asked.  
  
"He didn't exactly come right out and say it, Flash. I was the one who made the conclusions."  
  
Flash nodded. "I do goof off a lot, so don't feel bad. You had every right to believe I'd endanger somebody."  
  
She disagreed. "No. The Justice League has confidence in you, and I shouldn't have questioned that. Hell, even Batman trusts you, and he doesn't trust anyone."  
  
"Was that another compliment?"  
  
"Take it however you like."  
  
"You know," he said, "you're a good hero. I mean, you don't have superpowers, but that doesn't stop you from saving people. Because of my speed, I always felt I was supposed to do good. You're special."  
  
Batgirl shrugged. "I just knew I wanted to make a difference, and being a 'caped crusader' allowed me to do that. Batman stopped the criminals the police couldn't, and I thought that was the only way."  
  
Flash made a confused face. "Do you regret it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good."  
  
She then put the bottle down, but it accidentally fell over and spilled onto the table. Instantly, Flash was at her side, wiping up the mess. When he finished, he turned to look down on her.  
  
"See that? No worries about ruined furniture."  
  
It was then that they felt it: the undeniable attraction between two people who lived lives that no one else could possibly understand. Batgirl could feel her temperature rising and gently touched his forearm.  
  
Flash looked down at her hand with astonishment. She knew that he wanted to be near her just as much as she did. Flash then touched his lips to hers, and she didn't resist.  
  
She permitted him to deepen the kiss instead.  
  
Suddenly, Batgirl felt the fridge door at her back; he must have rushed her over to it. His hungry kisses left her mouth and moved along her bare jaw line. She ran her hands over his strong shoulders and down his back, to his hips. Batgirl pulled The Flash closer to her body.  
  
He looked at her with curiosity in his excited eyes, and pressed his lips to hers again.  
  
Before they knew it, they were ripping their costumes off.  
  
~  
  
Wally looked down on the resting beauty beside him. She was perfect, everything he had ever wanted in a woman. How he had gotten lucky enough to stumble into her path, he didn't know, but that didn't really matter anymore.  
  
Then he remembered the pizza parlor. He had met her before.  
  
The redheaded bombshell slowly opened her eyes and saw him. Her reaction wasn't one he had expected. She bolted up in bed, covered herself with the sheets, and allowed her jaw to drop.  
  
"Oh my God," she managed and shook her head. "This was a mistake," she stated and ran a hand through her mussed hair. "It was so unprofessional of me. Why... Why did I let this occur? Remind me, please?"  
  
"It just happened. We didn't mean to do anything. I guess you could call it a little spontaneous."  
  
She glared at him. "No. Combustion is spontaneous. This was... uh.... There isn't even a word for this. Bizarre maybe? Unfathomable? Wrong?"  
  
"I got it. Wrong. Okay. Slow down and calm yourself. It's really not that bad."  
  
"Oh, you're right. It's so much worse. I just slept with you, Mr. West, and I –"  
  
"Mr. West?" he repeated. "You know my name?" When she didn't answer, he got a little annoyed. "You knew my name? You researched me."  
  
"Not exactly."  
  
"Okay. So, you know who I am, but I don't even know your name. For all I know, you could be some... some... some little girl who –"  
  
"My name is Barbara Gordon," she confessed. "Sorry that I looked into you and your past. I have to know about everything, including my allies. That's how I work. That's how Batman had taught me."  
  
"Fine." Wally turned away from Barbara Gordon and pulled out a large package of candy corn from his nightstand.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"It's called candy. I need something sweet."  
  
"Candy?"  
  
"Yeah. Heard of it?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"Tomorrow's Halloween, isn't it?"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So, Ivy's been producing some kind of a poison."  
  
Still utterly dumbfounded, he asked, "And your point is?"  
  
Barbara rolled her blue eyes. "She's going to poison the kids, Wally."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Think about it. She could hold the antidote for ransom and get millions of dollars for just handing it over."  
  
"Not if Bats finds the cure first," he reminded.  
  
"But we're not going to let it get that far," she told confidently.  
  
Wally watched as she slipped on her panties and sports bra. He still couldn't get over the fact of how gorgeous she was.  
  
"She's going to be somewhere that'll have a bunch of kids trick-or-treating alone. I think we've been looking in all the wrong places."  
  
"Suburbs," he said. "Parents think it's safer there."  
  
"I should have thought of that sooner."  
  
Wally sent her a faint grin. "Maybe I'm smarter than you thought."  
  
For an instant, he noticed a smirk on her lips. "Maybe."  
  
~  
  
Ivy set the plant leaves on fire and watched as they turned to ash. She then mixed the ashes into the boiling potion. Almost immediately, the liquid began to solidify. She poured the toxin into little molds that were shaped like pumpkins and smiled in satisfaction.  
  
The "candy" was done hardening twenty minutes later, just in time for the early trick-or-treaters. It was only a matter of minutes before the doorbell rang.  
  
Quickly, she wrapped a few of the poisonous candies and walked over to the door. She opened it with a fake smile and gasped with surprise.  
  
"What's cookin' good lookin'?" The Flash asked with a grin.  
  
Before Ivy could do anything, Batgirl kicked her in the stomach, sending her backwards. The felon fell, crashed onto the floor, and glared at her enemies. A second later, she was bound and gagged, and The Flash held her over one shoulder.  
  
"We done?" he asked his teammate, and they left the house without another word.  
  
~  
  
"Say hello to everyone in Arkham," Flash snickered and shut the door to the cop car. He then tapped on it so the officer driving would know to go. "I've always wanted to do that."  
  
"Happy now?" Batgirl asked from behind him.  
  
He nodded. "Yeah. We saved the hostage, saved the kids, and pretty much saved the day." Flash then turned around to face the girl, but she was gone.  
  
(She's just as sneaky as Bats senior.)  
  
~  
  
Barbara plopped down on her couch and let out a breath. She had just gotten back to Gotham, and realized that she had a class the next morning. She was going to skip; there was no way she'd get herself out of bed at eight A.M.  
  
The redheaded crime fighter reached over and pressed the blinking button on her answering machine.  
  
"You have four new messages."  
  
"When you get home, give me a call," Bruce's voice said.  
  
Kara was next. "Hey Babs. It's Kara. Call me back."  
  
The third message was a telemarketer selling Gotham-Lady perfume.  
  
Then the forth message played, but no one spoke.  
  
Barbara thought nothing of it and wrapped herself in a blanket. The doorbell rang. She reluctantly stood, walked to her apartment door, and glanced through the peephole. Wally West stood on the opposite side.  
  
Quickly, she opened the door and pulled him inside. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Sorry. I just needed to see you. I didn't want you to think that I was just using you or something," he explained. "I didn't know how else to contact you, so I looked up your address."  
  
"Next time, just call. The number is listed next to the address."  
  
The young redheaded boy shrugged with embarrassment. "Oh yeah."  
  
Barbara resisted the urge to giggle and questioned, "Why are you here again?"  
  
"I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry we got started on the wrong foot and that things got out of control. I really like you, Barbara, and I didn't want our relationship to end there in my apartment."  
  
She narrowed her eyes. "What relationship?"  
  
"Exactly." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, clearly signaling that he was nervous. "Go out with me. Just you and Wally. We could try, right? I know I'm obnoxious and –"  
  
"Okay," she interrupted. "I'll go out with you."  
  
He smiled with delight. "Sweet!" Wally then kissed her cheek. "I promise that I won't disappoint you."  
  
"I just want you to know that I'm not the kind of girl who just 'spontaneously' jumps into bed with just any guy. What happened back there was..."  
  
"Special?" he offered. When she slightly smiled, he smiled as well. "I've got to go and meet up with Supes. We've got Watchtower duty tonight."  
  
"Have fun."  
  
"I'll try. Hey, I'll call ya?"  
  
"Do that."  
  
He then walked out of her apartment, closing the door behind him. Somehow, she knew that she still wasn't alone.  
  
"Checking up on me?" she asked the room.  
  
A wise and familiar voice answered. "Not particularly." Batman stepped out from his position in the darkness to reveal himself.  
  
"I bet I'm the only one who can feel you watching from the shadows."  
  
"You aren't." Before she could counter, he demanded, "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Figuring he was referring to The Flash, she replied, "Having a social life, maybe?"  
  
Her boss wasn't amused. "You're getting involved with another very complicated person."  
  
"And I recognize that, Bruce. You know how it is with people who are incapable of understanding why we do what we do. He gets it." Barbara crossed her arms over her chest. "We aren't like you and Selina."  
  
"He's still acts like a juvenile and –"  
  
"You trust him anyway, along with the rest of the Justice League. Why shouldn't I?"  
  
"He's not good enough for you," Batman snapped.  
  
"Then who is?"  
  
He didn't respond.  
  
"I am an adult, Batman. Let me make my own decisions for once, okay?"  
  
"Fine. I'll be in Metropolis tomorrow, so I need you and Robin to cover my section of the city."  
  
"I'll ring Nightwing."  
  
Without another word, The Dark Knight left her apartment through the window, leaving Barbara alone.  
  
She picked up her phone and dialed the Kents' number.  
  
~  
  
"Well, you're awfully quiet," Hawkgirl noted when she sat down next to Flash. "No jokes today? No sorry attempts to get my attention? No come- ons?"  
  
"Nope," he stated and sighed.  
  
"Don't mind him," GL said. "He's in love."  
  
"With who?" Superman asked.  
  
"Batgirl," Lantern answered. "Like that's going places."  
  
Hawkgirl laughed. "Jeez, Flash. You have a better chance with Wonder Woman."  
  
"We'll see," Flash remarked under his breath.  
  
"Whatever," she muttered and left the monitor womb with GL and Superman.  
  
The young Wally West pulled out a baterang and started to study it. It was the one Batgirl had used to free him from the giant vine; he hadn't returned it to her yet.  
  
He smiled and mumbled to himself.  
  
"Trick or treat."  
  
;)  
  
~FINISHED~ 


End file.
